Where does “Gespenstschrecke” come from?

Gespenstschrecke (German) comes from German schrecke, from German Heuschrecke, from Middle High German höuschrecke, from Old High German houwiscrecko — hay-locust.

Gespenstschrecke (German): stick insect

Definitions

  1. stick insect

Ancestry of “Gespenstschrecke”, step by step

Gespenstschrecke traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German schrecke

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanschreckeinflection of schrecken: ## first-person singular...
2GermanHeuschreckegrasshopper; locust; an investor who buys...
3Middle High Germanhöuschrecke
4Old High Germanhouwiscreckohay-locust

via German gespenst

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germangespenstghost, spectre
2Middle High Germangespenst
3Old High Germangispenstitemptation, illusion
4Old High Germanspananto lure, to attract
Every word from Old High German houwiscreckoEvery word from Middle High German höuschreckeEvery word from German Heuschrecke